Automatic firing device.



PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

A. A. RAMSDELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRING DEVICE.

A?PLIOATIOH FILED APR. 27, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Van BL. -Rams; L-

PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

A. A. RAMSDBLL.

AUTOMATIC FIRING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1903.

UNiTED STATES Patented February 14, 1905.

ATENT OFFTCE.

ALBERT A. RAMSDELL, OF DEIfltOl'l, h'lIClIlGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THEUNDER-FEED STOKER UOMPANY OF AMERILLA, OF OI'IIOAUO, ILLI- JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC FIRING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,269, dated.bebruary 14, 1905.

Application filed April 27,1903. Se1ialN0.154,458.

Be it known that l, ALBERT A. RansDnLL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic FiringDevices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to automatic mechanism for stoliingor firingfurnaces. Itmay be applied to furnaces of any style or type and to afurnace whose heating effect may be utilized for any one of an almostendless variety of purposes. \Vhile I do not in any manner wish to limitthe use of my invention to such furnaces, I have found it particularlywell suited for use in connection with furnaces employed inmetallurgical processes and in furnaces used for heating steam-boilers.

The especial object of my invention is to provide means whereby thestoking or firing of furnaces may be accomplished entirely automaticallyand at the same time with the greatest possible economy in fuel.

My invention provides, first, for the automatic regulation of the rateof operation of any type of mechanical stoking mechanism to correspondwith the demand made upon the furnace supplied thereby, and, second, toprovide automatic means for regulating the supply of both air and fuelto correspond with the demand u pen the furnace, whereby the proper andmostectmomical and ellicient proportion of air to fuel may be maintainedat all times regardless of any and all variations in the rate ofoperation of the stoking mechanismor the quantity of air admitted to thefurnace, either and both corresponding with the demand upon the furnace.

My invention may be adapted to almost any kind of furnace, and any typeof mechanical stolting apparatus may be employed. It is adapted for usein connection with any suitable means for supplying air to the furnace,and a great variety of devices may be employed for automaticallycontrolling the rate 1 of operation of the stolting mechanism and the(piantity of air admitted to the furnace to correspond with the demandupon the furnace.

It will be seen that my invention provides means whereby the stoking orliringof a furnace may be accomplished wholly automatically, therebyovercoming the defects in systems of the prior art hcreinbefore pointedout. The use of automatic mechanism for jointly regulating the supply offuel and air to a furnace causes the most eliicientand economicalconsumption of fuel to correspond at all times with the useful work doneby the furnace.

\Vhile, my invention is thus applicable to a great variety of furnacesfora correspondingly great number of purposes, .I have found myinvention to be particularly advantageous when employed in connectionwith a furnace used for heating a steam-lmiler. As applied to asteam-boiler furnace my invention may comprise any suitable mechanicalstoker, either overfeed or miderfeed, the power for driving which may bederived from any suitable source, such as a steam-engine orsteamcylinder having suitably controlled valve mechanism. In caseasteam-cylinder is associated with the mechanical stoker to supply thenecessary power thereto a steam-engine may be employed to control thevalve mechanism. In either case the steam-engine may, if desired, bedriven by steam from the boiler to which the furnace is applied. itsuitable regulator may be placed in the supply-pipe connecting theboiler with the engine, the regulator being such as to control the speedof the engine to correspond inversely with the boiler steam-pressure, anincrease in the boiler steam-pressure causing a decrease in the speed 11of the engine, and a decrease in the boilerpressure causing an increasein the speed of the engine. The rate of operation of the mechanicalstoker and the quantity of fuel supplied to the furnace is thereby madeto correspond invcrsely with the boiler steam-pressure.

1 find it desirable to employ forced draft in connection withinstallations embodying my invention. Such forced draft may be providedby a rotary fan or blower forcing air under pressure into thecombustion-chamber of the furnace. In case an overfeed-stoker isemployed the forced draft may reach the fuel through suitablegrate-bars. while in case an underfeed-stoker is employed it may bedesirable to supply the air to the fuel through suitable twyers. Such arotary fan or blower may be operated from any suitable source of power,as previously mentionedsuch, for instance, as a steam-engine derivingits supply of steam from the steam-boiler heated by the furnace; As inthe case of the engine utilized for the purpose of operating themechanical stoking mechanism an automatic regulator may be employed forthe purpose of governing the speed of the engine inversely with thesteam-boiler pressure, whereby the quantity of air supplied to thefurnace may be varied inversely with the boiler steam-pressure. In thismanner the quantity of fuel and the quantity of air supplied to thefurnace are both varied to meet at all times the demand made upon thefurnace for heat and at the same time the proportion of air to fuel ismaintained constant to provide for an efficient and economicalcombustion of all the fuel supplied.

As both the mechanical stoking apparatus and the apparatus for supplyingair to the furnace are operated or may be operated by a steam-engine, Ihave found it desirable to provide a single engine for this purpose, towhich are connected both the stoking mechanism or valve mechanismcontrolling the operation of the stoking mechanism and the blower ordevices controlling the quantity of air admitted to the furnace. Thespeed of this single engine may be controlled by a single automaticregulator to vary inversely with the boiler steam-pressure. In thismanner I provide means whereby the firing of the furnace of asteam-boiler is accomplished wholly automatically without any attentionwhatsoever from an attendant, while at the same time the boiler-pressureis maintained under almost absolutely uniform pressure even under greatvariations in the demand for steam which may be made upon it, and,furthermore, the greatest possible economy in the use of fuel isattained. These advantages are all attained by the provision ofmechanism which is at once simple, eflicient, durable, and reliable inoperation.

My invention will be more clearly understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective viewillustrating somewhat diagrammatically a steam-boiler associated with amechanical stoker, its valve mechanism, a pressure-blower, and asteamengine and regulator for controlling the operation of thesedevices. Flg. 2 1s a detached view, in front elevation, of valvemechanism adapted to be employed in connection with the stoker. Fig. 3is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of thedetached Valve mechanism, taken on line 1 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adetached view, in front elevation, of the valve and its seat, the wallof the admission port of the valve being broken away in part to revealthe port-opening, the valve-cover and the remainder of the valvemechanism being removed. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the valve alone.Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the valve, taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7.Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a form of regulator whichmay be employed. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the stokingdevice.

In Fig. 1 I have shown aboiler 10 mounted in its setting of masonry 11,the door 12 in the front of the setting opening into the boilerfurnace,the details of which are immaterial and need not be particularlydescribed herein. At the front of the furnace is located a mechanicalstoker comprising a steam-cylinder 13, which upon the supply of steam tothe alternate ends thereof causes the reciprocation of a plunger 141within a plunger-tube 14 to force charges of fuel from the hopper 15into the furnace-retort, the plunger being connected to the piston 15 bya piston-rod 13. The pipes 16 and 17 lead, respectively, from either endof the cylinder 13 to the ports 18 and 19 in the valve-seat 20. Within avalve-cover 21 is placed a rotary valve 22, the rotation of this valvebeing caused by means of the rotaryvalve stem 23, which leads throughthe stuffing-gland 2 1 to the ratchetwheel 25, securely mounted thereon.The ratchet mechanism comprises the side plates 26 and 27, rotatablymounted upon the stem 23, and a 'pawl 28, which is in engagement withthe ratchetwheel 25. The oscillation of the ratchet mechanism is causedby means of a connecting-rod connected with an adjustable crank pin 31upon the slotted crank-disk 32. Aslowrotation of the crank-disk 32 iscaused by means of the shaft 33, upon which the worm-gear 34: is mountedand which in turn is driven by the worm 35, mounted upon the worm-shaft36, the rotation of the worm-shaft being caused by a pulley-and-beltconnection, the details of which will be hereinafter more fullyexplained. Steam is supplied from the boiler 10, through a pipe 37 and athrottle-valve 38, to an opening 39 in the valve-seat 20. There is anopening 40 in the under side of the valve 22,which registers with theopening 39 in the valveseat, this opening 1O being connected with anadmission-port 11, having an opening through the lower side of thevalve. An exhaust port or passage-way 12 is cut through the valve,

as best shown in Fig. 7. The valve-cover 21 provides a chamber 43 to thefront of the rotary valve 22, which chamber is at all times in opencommunication with the exhaust-port of the valve 12. This chamber isalso connected, through the opening it, with the exhaust-pipe L5. in theembodiment of my invention which 1 have herein shown the wormshaft 36 isrigidly secured to adriving-pulley 4:6, by which it is driven by thebelt 17, running about the pulley i8 on the shaft of the blower it). Therevolution of the fans of the blower causes air to be drawn in throughthe opening 5!) and discharged through an airtlue 51. (shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1,) leading to the twyers or other openings 52,\vhichsupply the air necessary for combustion to the furnace of the boiler.

The blowerit) is desirably belted to asteamengine GEL-as illustrated.This engine 53 is supplied. through the pipe 54 and throttle-valve 54:,with steam from the boiler 10. there being also connected in this pipe aFoster regulator,

the details and operation of which will be clear from an inspect-ion ofFig. 9, in which the essential featuresare shown to comprise twochambers 55 and 56, there being connected with the chamber 55 the pipe5%, leading from the boiler ll), and with the chamber 56 there beingconnected a pipe leading to the steam-chest of the engine Between thechambers and 56 are openings 57 and 58, a passage-way through which iscontrolled by the movement of the valves 59 and 60. both mounted upon avalve-stem 61, mechanically connected with the flexiblediaphragm 62, theperiphery of which is clamped between the upper and lower halves of adiaphragneclmmber 63. Adjustable spring mechanism 6* serves, through theinterposition of lever mechanism 65, to exert a downward pressure uponthe diaphragm and valve-stem connected therewith, the downward movementof the valves and valve-stem being limited by a setscrew stop 66. Asmall opening 67 leads from the chamber to the lower part of thediaphragm-chamber (:33, the passage through this opening UT beingcontrolled by a valve 68. The upper side of the diaphragm is subject toatmospheric pressure through the opening 69 in the upper half of thediaphragm-chamber. The under side of the diaphragm 62 is directlysubject to the steam-boiler pressure bymeans of the communicatingpassage-way through the opening 67, the chamber 55, and the pipe 51. Thespring mechanism 6% is so adjusted in tension that upon an increase inthe boiler pressure above the normal operating pressure an upwardmovement of the valve-stem and its associated valves is caused by an inicrease of the pressure on the lower side of f the diaphragm 62.

It will thus be seen that i an increase in the steam-boiler pressurecauses pressure below the normal operating-pressure there is a decreasein the upward pressure against the lower side of the (.liaphragm 62,whereupon the expansion of the spring mechanism causes a downwardmovement of the valve-stem 61 and the valves 59 and 60, connectedtherewith, thus increasing the size of the opening between the chambersand 56 and permitting an increased supply of steam to the engine 53.This arrangement provides, therefore, that an increase in thesteam-boiler pressure shall be accompanied by a decrease in the speed ofthe engine 5-3 and the blower 49, connected therewith, while a decreasein the boiler-pressure below the normal operating pressure causes anincrease in the speed of the engine 53 and a corresponding increase inthe speed of the blower it).

The operation of the valve mechanism controlling the supply of steam tothe cylinder 13 of the stoker is as follows: The valve when in theposition shown in Fig. 5 provides an opening through the passage-ways 40and 4:1 of the valve 22, whereby steam is admitted from the supply-pipe37 through the valve mechanism to the port 19, and thence through thepipe 17 to the plunger end of the cylinder 13 of the automatic stoker.The head end of the cylinder 13 is at the same time provided with anexhaust-opening by way of the pipe 16 and the port 18, from which thereis communication to the chamber a and exhaust-pipe 15 by means of theexhaust-port 4:2 of the valve A forward rotation of the valve 2:2 in thedirection indicated by the arrow 70 causes first a closure of both theports 18 and 19 and at a short time thereafter the simultaneouscommunication of the port 18 with the passage-ways at) and a1 and of theport 15) with the exhaust-valve port 12 and the exhaustchamber 4:3. Uponthe establishment of these communicating passage-ways live. steam isadmitted to the head end of the cylinder 13, while the plunger end ofthe cylinder is connected with the exhaust-pipe 4:5. vln the presentembodimentof my invention 1 have shown the exhaust-pipe :5 as leadinginto the housing of the blower *9, whereby the exhauststcam is carriedinto the boilerfurnace with the draft of air. A further continuedrotation of the valve 22 causes the opening of a passageway through theexhaust-port 42 of the valve between the head end of the cylinder 13 andthe exhaust-pipe to. Both head and plunger ends of the cylinder are thenmaintained for a considerable length of time in open communication withthe exhaust-pipe i5. Upon again reaching a point slightly in advance ofthat illustrated in Fig. 5 the live-steam communication with the plungerend of the cylinder 13 is again established, whereupon theabove-described cycle of operations is repeated.

It will be apparent that the speed of rotation of the valve 22 dependsdirectly upon the speed of rotation of the engine 53, and thus directlyupon the pressure of the steam in the boiler 10. The rotation of thevalve 22 is, furthermore, an intermittent one, the amount of angularadvance of each step being dependent upon the amount of oscillation ofthe ratchet mechanism, which in turn is directly dependent upon thedistance between the crank-pin 31 and the center of the crank-disk 32.This distance may be varied at will to cause a greater or less angularadvance of the valve 22 for each revolution of the wormwheel 34. Thespeed of revolution of the valve 22 is preferably so adjusted by meansof the position of the crank-pin 31 that the rate of reciprocation ofthe Stoker-plunger shall be such as to supply substantially enough andno more fuel to the boiler-furnace than is necessary to maintain thedesired normal steam-pressure when such fuel is burned under properconditions of combustion. The Foster regulator is so adjusted that thespeed of the engine and the blower connected directly therewith shall besuch as to cause the supply of substantially the proper quantity of airto the boiler-furnace under all conditions of operation. It will thus beseen that my invention provides mechanism for a fuelsupply such that theoperation of a steamboiler furnace may be entirely automatic and wherebythe greatest possible efficiency and economy in the use of fuel may besecured. It is evident that a battery of connected boilers may besimilarly operated through the agency of a single engine connected tothe main supply-pipe leading from all of the boilers in the battery.

Many modifications will at once occur to those skilled in the art, andas these modifications may be employed without departing from the spiritof my inventionl do not wish to limit myself to the precise disclosuresherein set forth; but,

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1. In combination, asteam-boiler, a furnace therefor, asteam-operated mechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, valvemechanism for controlling the supply of steam to said mechanical stoker,a blower for supplying air to said furnace, a steam-engine for drivingboth said blower and said valve mechanism, said engine and said valvemechanism being supplied with steam from said boiler, and adiaphragm-controlled valve interposed in the supply-pipe to saidsteam-engine, increase in said boiler-pressure causing said valve tolimit the amount of steam to said engine whereby said blower and saidvalve mechanism are driven at a lower speed, and decrease ofboiler-pressure causing said valve to admit more steam to said enginewhereby both the blower and the valve mechanism are driven at anincreased rate, the supply of air fed by said blower and the amount offuel fed to said furnace being thus proportionate to each other and tothe boiler-pressure.

2. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, rotary valvemechanism for controlling the supply of steam to said mechanical stoker,a blower for supplying air to said furnace, a steam-engine for drivingsaid blower and said valve mechanism said valve mechanism being suppliedwith steam from said boiler, a diaphragm-controlled valve for governingthe steam-supply to said engine, and means for adjusting the ratiobetween the rate of revolution of said blower and the rate of revolutionof said rotary valve mechanism whereby the ratio between air-supplyandfuel-supply may be varied.

3. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve forsaid steam-operated stoking mechanism, one revolution of said rotaryvalve causing one complete actuation of said stoking mechanism, a blowerto supply air to said furnace, a steam-engine for driving said blowerand said rotary valve, said engine and said valve being supplied withsteam from said boiler, controlling means for causing the speed of theengine to vary inversely as the boiler-pressure, and adjusting means forvarying the ratio between the rate of revolution of said blower and therate of revolution of said rotary valve whereby the ratio betweenairsupply and fuel-supply may be regulated independently of theboiler-pressure. I

4. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve forcontrolling the supply of steam to said stoking mechanism, one charge offuel being deposited in the furnace by said stoker for each completerevolution of the rotary valve, a blower for supplying air to saidfurnace, a steam-engine for driving both said blower and said rotaryvalve, said engine and said valve being fed with steam from said boiler,and means for varying the ratio between the rate of revolution of saidblower and the rate of revolution of said rotary valve whereby theproportion of air to fuel may be varied independently of theboiler-pressure.

5. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve forcontrolling the supply of steam to said mechanical stoker, one charge offuel being deposited in said furnace by said stoker for each completerevolution of the rotary valve, a steam-engine, a blower driven by saidengine, means also driven by said engine for causing angularadvancements of said rotary valve, and adjusting means for varying thedistance of said advancements whereby the ratio of the rate ofrevolution of the blower and the rate of revolution of the rotary valvemaybe varied and consequently vary the proportion between the air-supplyand the fuelsupply of said furnace.

e. In combination, a steam boiler, a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve forcontrolling the steam-supply to said mechanical stoker, a steam-enginefed by steam from said boiler, a blower driven by said engine, acrank-arm also driven by said engine and having connection with saidrotary valve, *ach revolution of said crank-arm causing an angularadvancement of said rotary valve, and means for adjusting the length ofsaid cranlearm to vary the angular advancement of said rotary valvewhereby the ratio be- I tween the rate of revolution of said blower andthe rate of revolution of said rotary valve may be varied, consequentlyto vary the proportion between the air-supply and fuel-supply to saidfurnace.

T. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor. a mechanicalstoke!" having a reciprocating plunger and a steam-cylinder adapted tocause the operation of said plunger to supply fuel to said furnace, arotary valve for controlling the steam-supply to said cylinder, acomplete revolution of said valve causing a complete stroke of thereciprocating plunger. :1 steam-engine, said engine and said valve beingsupplied with steam from said boiler, means for causing the quantity ofsteam supplied to said engine to vary inversely as the boiler-pressure,a blower driven by said engine, a crank-arm also driven by said engineand connecting with said rotary valve, each revolution of said crank-armcausing an angular advancement of said rotary valve, and adjusting meansfor varying thelength of said crank-arm to vary the angular advancementof said rotary valve whereby the proportion between air and fuel supplyto said furnace may be varied.

b. In combination, a furnace, a mechanical stoker having a reciprocatingplunger and a stealu-evlimlcr adapted to cause the operation of saidplunger to su pply fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve for ctmtrollingthe supply of steam to said cylinder, valve controlling means forcausing said valveto intermit ently admit steam to said cylinder wherebysaid stoker is intermittently actuated to supply fuel to said furnace, ablower for supplying air to said furnace, at steam-engine for drivingboth said blower and said valve mechanism, said engine and said valvebeing supplied with steam from said boiler, a valve for causing thesupply of steam to said engine to vary inversely as the boiler-pressurewhereby the speed of said blower and said valve-controlling mechanismvary inversely as the boilerpressure, and adjusting means for saidvalvecontrolling means for varying the length of intermission betweenthe successive supplies of steam to said steam-cylinder.

9. In combination, a steam-boiler, a furnace therefor, a mechanicalstoker having a reciprocating plunger and a steam-cylimler adapted tocause the operation of said plunger to supply fuel to said furnace, arotary valve for controlling the steam-supply to said cylinder,valve-controllingmeans for causing said 'alve to intermittently supplysteam to said cylinder whereby fuel is intermittently charged into sa dfurnace from said stolter, a blower for supplying air to said furnace, asteam-engine for driving said blower and said valvecontrollingmechanism, said engine and valve being supplied with steam from saidboiler, a diaphragm-controlled valve for causing the steam-supply tosaid engine to vary inversely as the boiler-pressn re whereby the speedof said blower and said valve-controlling mechanism varies inversely asthe boiler-pressure, and adjusting means for varying the length of theintermission between the successive supplies of steam to saidsteam-cylinder.

10. In combination,asteam-boilcr,a furnace therefor, a steam-operatialmechanical stolccr for feeding fuel to said furnace, a rotary valve forsaid steam-operated stolting mechanism, a blower for supplying air tosaid furnace, at steam-engine for driving said blower and said valvemechanism, said valve mechanism being supplied with steam from saidboiler, a valve automatically controlled by the pressure of the steamsupplied to said engine for governing the steam-supply to said engine,and means for adjusting the ratio between the rate of revolution of saidblower and the rate of revolution of said rotary valve mechanism,whereby the ratio between air-supply and fuelsupply may be varied.

11. In combimition,astmm-boiler,a furnace therefor, a steam-operatedmechanical stoker for feeding fuel to said furnace, said mechanicalstoker having a reciprocating plunger and l a steam-cylimler adapted tocause the operation of said plunger to supply fuel to said furnace, arotary valve for controlling the supply ofsteam to said cylinder, avalve-chamber for said valve CUlillttitIOtl with the ends of thecylinder of the mechanical stoker, a valvestem extending from saidrotary valve, a ratchet-wluail on said valve-stem, a pawl-arm having apawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, a crank-arm, a connecting-rodconnecting said crank-arm with said pawl-arm, a blower for feeding airto said furnace, driving connection between said blower and saidcrank-arm, a steam-engine for drivingsaid blower, a valve forautomatically controlling the steam-supply to said engine, said valvecausing the quantity of steam supplied to said engine to vary inverselyas the boiler-pressure, and

means for adjusting the length of said crankarm, whereby the rate ofrotation of said rotary valve is governed.

12. In combination, a furnace, amechanical stoker having a reciprocatingplunger and a steam-cylinder adapted to cause operation of said plungerto supply fuel to said furnace,

and a worm meshing with said worm-wheel, a blower for supplying air tosaid furnace, driving means connecting the shaft of the blower with theworm-shaft, a steam-engine for driving said blower, a valve forautomatically controlling the supply of steam to said engine, thequantity of steam supplied to the engine being caused to vary inverselyas the boilerpressure, and means for adjusting the length of saidcrank-arm, whereby the rate of revolution of said rotary valve iscontrolled.

In witness whereofl hereunto subscribe my name this 22d day of April, A.D. 1903.

ALBERT A. \RAMSDELL.

Witnesses:

LYNN A. l VILLIAMs, FRED A. DALEY.

